Bids invited for setting up of 1 GW Land Based Solar plant in vacant railway land under Tariff Based Competitive Bidding

The Railway Energy Management Company Limited (REMCL) for & on behalf of Ministry of Railways has invited eligible Bidders to participate in the bidding process for “Setting up of 1 GW Land Based Solar PV Power plant in vacant Railway Land under Tariff Based Competitive Bidding.”

  • Tender Reference Number: REMCL/CO/Solar/1GW/2020
  • Period Of Work: 390 (Days)
  • EMD Amount in: INR 4,00,000
  • Document Download/Sale Start Date: 15-Sep-2020 12:00 PM
  • Document Download/Sale End Date: 08-Oct-2020 02:00 PM
  • Bid Submission Start Date: 01-Oct-2020 03:00 PM
  • Bid Submission End Date: 08-Oct-2020 02:00 PM

Project Details:-

Setting up of 1 GW Land Based Solar PV Power plant in vacant Railway Land under Tariff Based Competitive Bidding will be carried out through e-bidding followed by e-Reverse Auction process.

Solar PV Power projects are required to be designed for inter-connection with the InSTS (STU)/ ISTS (CTU)/ TSS substation at appropriate voltage level.

Connectivity:

Projects having capacity more than 50 MW and at location are to be connected to CTU. Projects having capacity less than 50 MW shall be connected to STU. Connectivity Details of various packages are provided in Annexure-VII of RFQ.

Connectivity and Long Term Access (LTA) upto delivery point at CTU/STU/TSS from the solar plant is the responsibility of Solar Power Developer.

Project Configuration:

The term “Project” shall have the meaning as defined in definition in this RFQ, and shall refer to the Project capacity as quoted by the bidder (at the time of bidding)/awarded to the Bidder (after issue of LOA).

The Bidder may however, set up the Project capacity at a single location in a capacity of 50 MW or above for CTU connected projects, and in case of state wise bid for STU connected projects, he may configure the “Project” as sub-divided into a number of “locations”, being set up at multiple locations in a single state, if required. For a single Project, such ‘locations’ shall be within the same State. Following points are to be noted in this regard:

  • The Project may consist of any number of solar plants (of minimum 5 MW).
  • A single tariff shall be quoted by the Bidder in its response to RFQ for each 50 MW and above projects connected to CTU (Location wise), and for each state for projects below 50 MW projects connected to STU, irrespective of the number of Projects and each Project configuration.
  • A Single Power Purchase Agreement shall be signed with the designated Nodal Railway for each Project of over 50 MW, and for each state for projects less than 50 MW. The SPD shall be responsible for obtaining Connectivity and Long Term Open Access (LTA) for each Project.
  • The SPD may modify the Project configuration in terms of projects, subsequent to issuance of LOA until the deadline of Financial Closure, subject to the condition as per (c) above. REMCL shall not be responsible for any delay in reconfiguration of the Project, which might lead to delay in achieving financial closure and in-turn, commissioning of the Project.
  • Where possible the individual ‘locations’ may be pooled at an appropriate voltage level in case of connectivity to STU i.e state wise projects. A single transmission line shall connect the above pooling Substation to the interconnection/ Delivery Point, which shall be the Metering Point as per the RfQ.
  • One of the possible configurations of a Project, having separate locations in a state.

All the activities related to bid process management starting from publishing of the bid document (RFQ/RFP/PPA) till award of LOA to successful bidder will be done by REMCL on behalf of Indian Railways. Thereafter all activities related to signing of Power Purchase Agreements & operationalisation of solar plants etc. with the successful Solar Developer (s) will be carried out by Nodal Railway. REMCL will act as the Bid process co-ordinator and manage the bid on behalf of Railways. REMCL shall be associated in planning, scheduling and forecasting of power after commencement of power from the solar plants.

The bidding process will be a single stage two packet centralized bidding process carried out by REMCL on behalf of Nodal Railways. The bid document comprises of RFQ, RFP and PPA. The bidders will submit one bid package comprising of the technical and financial qualification with supporting documents corresponding to the requirements of Request For Qualification (RFQ) and a price bid corresponding to the requirements of Request For Proposal (RFP), on CPP portal of National Informatics Centre (NIC) https://etenders.gov.in/eprocure/app e-bidding portal on or before the Bid due date.

Indian Railways on the path of going green:

It may be noted that Indian Railways is committed to utilize solar energy for meeting its traction power requirement and become a complete ‘Green mode of transportation’.

  • This is in line with the recent directive of the Hon’ble Prime Minister to solarise railway stations and utilize vacant railway land for Renewable Energy (RE) projects.
  • It will also contribute towards the National Solar Mission, an initiative of the Government of India to promote solar power.
  • As a follow up, it has been decided by the Ministry of Railways to provide solar power plants on vacant unused Railway land on a mega scale.
  • Indian Railways has developed a mega plan for installing solar plants of 20 GW capacity by utilizing its vacant land by 2030. 
  • With the ambitious plan of achieving 100% electrification for Railways by the year 2023. 
  • Indian Railways energy consumption is set to become over 33 billion units by 2030 from its current annual requirement of about 21 billion units.
  • The national transporter has adopted a multi-pronged approach towards decarbonization which would be fulfilled by the solar projects being deployed, making it the first transport organization to be energy self-sufficient. 
  • This would help in making Indian Railways green as well as ‘Atma-Nirbhar’.
  • These solar projects, besides supplying power to Railways at reduced tariff, will also protect the Railway land by construction of boundary wall along the track.

Source: REMCL-Tender | Image Credit: PIB